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A Fragrance Moment

March 4, 2016

Ah, those moments in time forever captured and immortalized by song, a decadent meal, or yes even a fragrance… One of my favorite moments occurred in the early 90s, when I was in San Francisco attending the MacWorld Expo with a few thousand of my fellow Apple Computer fiends.

I briefly lived in the Bay Area for a couple of years in the early 80s when I attended FIDM and one of my favorite things to do on long break days was explore the city (on foot). I was happy to be back in my old stomping grounds and with a few hours to kill – headed off to Union Square (one of my favorite US shopping destinations).

As I wandered the cosmetics counter of Macy’s Union Square, “THE” most intoxicating fragrance I had ever smelled drifted past me… I found myself unconsciously being drawn to like peanut butter to chocolate and began to follow the fragrance, or rather the man who was wearing it.

This actually went on for some time in the store as I followed him from department to department until he caught on to my cat and mouse stalking and turned to ask if he could assist me. I turned about as red as a beet in complete and utter embarrassment having only then realized that I had obviously been stalking him. I apologized profusely and explained that his fragrance obviously had a Pied Piper effect on me (bats eyes innocently) .

He took me very kindly by the hand and led me to the men’s fragrance counter and picked up a bottle of Caroline Herrera for Men and said “Here you go young lady. This is what I am wearing – enjoy it to your heart’s content” and just walked away leaving me holding the bottle that probably changed my life in many ways. My passion for fragrances truly began in that moment. Ah, the power of scent, it can captivate and intoxicate.

Lord, I must have looked like a complete fool. I wonder if he ever shared that story with anyone. I know I’ll never forget it. Caroline Herrera for Men still has the same effect on me as it did with my very first whiff back in the early 90s. I coined it Sex in a Bottle, just seems so appropriate. While there have a been a few other fragrances that have come close to having the same effect Geir Ness for Men comes to mind, as does two other fragrances I launched at Beauty Cafe – Creed’s Green Irish Tweed and Bond No 9s Wall Street but Caroline Herrera for Men will always be my first love… and we never forget our first love, do we?